Hansel and Gretel
by Zivandre
Summary: "God doesn't need to punish us. He just grants us a long enough life to punish ourselves." Hermione and Harry are sent into the forest by their mean step-mother. The only problem is, most people who enter never return.


This is for QLFC: TRAINING CAMP

I'm chaser 1 for the Banchory Bangers.

Write about Hansel and Gretel

Prompts used: [word] Underhanded, [quote] "Hate the sin, love the sinner." Mahatma Gandhi, [quote] "God doesn't need to punish us. He just grants us a long enough life to punish ourselves." Barbara Kingsolver, The Poisonwood Bible.

[WC: 1502]

* * *

There once was a small village named Hogsmeade in the outskirts of Scotland. The village had only about 40 people, and was connected to a big, dark forest, that was aptly named 'The Forbidden Forest.' There were rumours that a magical school resided on the other side, but no one who ventured to find it came back alive.

In the poor side of the village, were two 11 year old children, Hermione and Harry, who were the Bakers. The Baker's wife had died during childbirth, and when the children were eight, he remarried. His new wife was atrocious, when the baker was working, she would belittle the children and make them do more chores than was needed.

Their father never listened to Hermione and Harry when they told him about her, however. He was blinded by his wives beauty.

There was one day however, that the Baker needed more ingredients for his bakery. His wife was supposed to go into the forest to collect a rare sugar plant that grew in the trees; she promised her husband that he would have it by the end of the day. When her husband left for work, she immediately gave the children the job.

Both children refused to go into the forest, since they had heard of the stories from town-folk. However, their stepmother promised they would each get 30 lashings if the plants weren't on the counter by the time their father got home.

The children relented, and both donned their cloaks and a basket, before setting out. They both knew what the plants looked like, but with each step further into the forest, their surroundings got darker.

Soon, it had looked like night had fallen in the forest, and they hurried to find the plants their father needed. They weren't looking long though, before they saw a clearing of light through the trees. Hoping that the plants they needed would be there, both Hermione and Harry ran towards the light.

What they didn't expect was to find a small cottage, but it wasn't an ordinary cottage. It looked just like a gingerbread house that their father made. The walls were all made out of gingerbread, with candy canes lining the walkway. The door looked like a large chocolate bar, and there were varying sweets covering the roof and walls, with what looked like icing holding it all together.

Hermione and Harry shared a look before running towards the house. They immediately began taking bites out of the sides of the house. After their bellies were full, they took more bits and pieces off and placed them in their baskets.

They had forgotten to get the plants for their father, because they were now more focused on the candy house. Hermione and Harry soon started walking back down the walkway to head back home.

However, before they took the last step off of the property, the candy canes became sharp and jagged and blocked their path. Looking around, both of the children saw the front door open. A large, portly woman slowly stepped out.

She had flyaway red, curly hair, and a huge smile on her face. She beckoned the children to her, and with shaky steps, they went to her.

When they were right in front of her, she spoke.

"How rude! Both of you children come to my house, eating bits and pieces; and then stealing more! You didn't come inside to ask an old woman for those sweets, and you still haven't eaten dinner! Come inside this instant and I won't tell your parents how bad you've been!"

Both children followed the older woman inside, and she led them to her dinner table.

"What's your name, miss?" asked Hermione, as they both sat down at the table.

"Molly. Molly Weasley. Do you both like lamb stew?"

Both children nodded their heads - lamb stew was a food that they rarely received. Molly soon walked around the table with a large pot, and spooned adult portions into both of the Children's bowls.

Molly didn't touch her food, she just sat and watched as both children ate. Any time either of the children's bowls got low, she would spoon in more stew for them.

On Harry's fourth bowl, and Hermione's second, Hermione stopped Molly before she could give them more.

"I'm sorry, Miss Molly. But we really do need to get home. Thank you for the dinner, and we're both sorry that we stole candy from your house. But our father should be home soon, and he'll be expecting us."

"Oh, no, no, no, dearies. You are home. You will stay here until you pay off all of that candy that you had eaten. Now, off to bed, both of you."

Molly showed the children where they would sleep - in two cages that were small enough for children. She had underhanded the clueless children - and not for their benefit.

Hermione and Harry tried fighting against Molly again, but they were fruitless. Before they could get past her, both children had collapsed from the food.

Days had passed, where Molly would continuously feed Harry. Molly had tried feeding Hermione, but the child would no longer take more than a few bites. Harry, however, had started gaining weight from constantly eating. Hermione had also tried telling Harry to stop eating so much, but he wouldn't listen.

On the fifth day, Hermione heard voices outside. She tried waking Harry, but he wouldn't budge - however she could see him breathing. Ignoring the sinking feeling in her gut, Hermione started yelling out for the men to help her.

She yelled and screamed as loud as she could, hoping that they could hear her. Besides, she thought most people would investigate a real-life gingerbread house in the middle of the forest. Unfortunately, their voices soon faded away - where Hermione finally broke down in sobs.

Their father would never find them, he probably wouldn't care with his new wife around. They were doomed to live in cages for the rest of the lives - however short it may be. She saw Molly exit her room with a large knife, heading straight for Harry's cage. Hermione reached her hand out to Harry, trying to shake him awake. Once again, he wouldn't wake.

"You've done enough girl, maybe this will keep you quit!" Molly screamed.

Molly advanced, but it looked like her skin was melting and bubbling away. Red hair lengthened to long, wildly-curly black hair. Her teeth rotted, and her eyes sunk as the irises turned black. Her cheeks became hollow, and she lost all of the extra weight, until she looked skeleton thin. Her fingers lengthened, with her nails growing out to be sharp and jagged.

The creature-like woman stretched her arms around, and flexed her fingers while she rolled her neck. Her eyes darted up, connecting with Hermione's. She felt a whimper in her throat, but held it in.

Molly - no, this was no longer Molly - walked forward, and she dragged the knife across the bars. The thing raised it's arm, preparing to swing the knife down.

Hermione let her head fall forward, hitting the bars of the cage.

* * *

Waking up, Hermione looked around. They were in the forest, sunlight was creeping down and warming their face. The candy cottage was no longer there, it was nothing but a clearing filled of the sugar plant they needed.

Stretching her legs, she stood, she then extended her hand to help Harry.

He tried speaking, talking about the cottage - he dreamed it too.

The children filled their baskets, before beginning their trek home. When they finally arrived, they saw their quaint cottage, and they both ran to it.

They stepped through the raggedy wooden door, and looked around their small shabby home.

They saw their mothers hanging embroidery that said, "Hate the sin, Love the sinner." They saw their kitchen table, and their water pails. They saw both of their beds, along with their living chairs that didn't look so moth-eaten.

They both set their baskets on the counter, and ust soaked in the feeling of being home and safe. It was then that their father stepped through the door.

"Where have you been children?" he bellowed.

"New mother sent us out to get your sugar plants, father."

"We got lost, but we made it back, Papa!"

"No, we sent out a search party to find you. We never did. But, children, where is your step-mother?"

Everything clicked into place for Hermione. Their step-mother sending them out, the cottage, getting trapped, and the woman shedding her skin. The men's voices she heard, the rumours of magic-wielders deep in the forest.

Hermione felt a shiver run down her spine as she told her father about everything. When she was finished, she sat back and watched her father to see what they were going to do.

"God doesn't need to punish us. He just grants us a long enough life to punish ourselves," he mumbled.


End file.
